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Volume 1, Issue 1
August 2011
S.T.R.I.D.E. News
Inside this issue:
Technology
2
Communication
2
Year Overview
3
Strategies for
Success
3
Latin
4
Identification
5
Homework &
Grades
6
Welcome to S.T.R.I.D.E.
Congratulations! Your
child has been identified
to be in the PCS Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) program called STRIDE.
lot of fun! You are welcome to join us any
Wednesday to see what
we are doing in STRIDE,
just know, we will be
putting you to work!
STRIDE is a county-wide,
highly comprehensive
enrichment program.
One day per week
(Wednesdays) your child
will leave their regular
classroom and spend the
day in the STRIDE Center
at Pactolus from 8:30 am
- 2:00 pm when they will
then return to their classroom for dismissal.
STRIDE is a program
separate from their regular classroom activities.
STRIDE students need a
three-ring binder dedicated to STRIDE. There is
no textbook so their
STRIDE notebook is essential to their success in
STRIDE.
We are very proud of
our AIG students. The
STRIDE program challenges them, motivates
their learning ,they do a
lot of work, and have a
The STRIDE program is
very interactive, engaging and promotes higher
level thinking. Students
will build, experiment
and question various
topics in Economics,
Math, Science and Com-
munications. The curriculum provides rigor and
relevance while challenging your student beyond
the regular classroom
instruction.
Please feel free to contact
the AIG Teacher throughout the year with questions, concerns and comments via email or
phone.
Things to
remember for
STRIDE
 Your AIG Notebook
 Lunch or Lunch Money
My Child Likes to Eat!
Every growing child likes to
eat, even the ones who are
picky eaters. How does my
child get to eat while at
STRIDE.
sider them on the STRIDE
University campus. So please
remember to bring your
lunch box or lunch money
with you.
STRIDE students eat with
the AIG students on
Wednesdays. Once they
leave the classroom to travel
to the STRIDE Center,
whether on a bus from another school or by foot leaving their classroom, we con-
Money in your Home school
lunch account DOES NOT
transfer to Pactolus. If
your child receives free or
reduced lunch, that DOES
transfer but money should
be put into an account at the
STRIDE Center School for
your child. Microwaves are
available for student use
depending on the school.
They often take up more
lunch time than budgeted.
 Signed Boomerang
folder
We work hard and our brains
need fuel to keep functioning
at a high level. We have
snack at 10:00 AM so please
send a healthy snack on
STRIDE days. Students are
allowed to keep a water bottle at their desks as long as
it is sealed and does not become a distraction.
 Snack
 3 sharpened pencils
 Completed homework
 Sealable water bottle
 Signed paperwork
STRIDE Technology!
The 21st century is here! We will be
using the following technology to
enhance learning and communication!
Website:
Please check the AIG teacher’s website often for updates, information,
pictures and a general idea of what
your child is doing in the various
AIG programs. There are specific
pages for the STRIDE program
based on where your child attends
STRIDE.
Email:
Your child’s AIG teacher at their
home school will provide an email
and password to use school based
emails. These emails can be checked
Welcome to 21st Century Learning!
at home via their school’s website.
Be sure your child is using their
email. We will be expecting proper
email etiquette with all correspondence.
Visit
www.Edmodo.com
Edmodo:
Enter the code provided by the STRIDE
teacher.
Edmodo is a secure interactive
learning environment that will allow
our students to communicate about
lessons, activities, experiments, etc.
Looking a lot like Facebook, Edmodo is a secure experience where
students and parents must have a
pass code to join a particular group
and then be accepted by the moderating teacher. To participate with
Edmodo, students will follow these
directions.
Click on I’m a student
If parents would like to join, you may
as a student and enter your name, the
center your child attends and the provided code!! Keep up with what is going on, interact with students and learn
the 21 century way!
PARENTS: Check out Pitt County
Schools AIG on Facebook.
Wish List: Materials Students Use in STRIDE
The STRIDE program is very interactive, engaging and promotes higher
level thinking. Since this is a very
hands-on, minds-on program the
activities requires various supplies. If
you are willing and able to contribute, anything would be greatly appreciated!


Ziploc bags (all sizes)
flat toothpicks


Colored construction paper
1 bottle Citric acid (found at local pharmacy)
 Wood glue (several bottles)
 Iodine
 1 candle lighter (long)
 Heavy aluminum foil
 Alka-Seltzer
 Aspirin
 Paper clips-regular and jumbo
 10 Boxes of unbendable straws
(General Cash & Carry on 14th street)









Fishing weights (1 – 6 ounces)
Colored pencils
Colored tempera paints (black,
white, red, blue and yellow liquid)
Paint brushes
3 hole punched copy paper
#2 pencils
Hand held pencil sharpeners
Smarties candy
Clorox wipes
Communication is Key!
There are many ways to stay abreast of
what is happening in STRIDE and AIG.
Boomerang folders will bring home hard
copies of information and completed
student units with evaluations. The Boomerang folders may not go home every
STRIDE day so if you ask for it and
your child says, “ The AIG Teacher did
not give it to us“ they probably didn’t.
Email is the quickest and most efficient
way of communicating with the AIG
Teacher. Also, look for an email each
STRIDE day recapping what was accomplished that day. This way, you don’t
have to ask your kids how their day was
to receive a brief, “fine“. You will know
and be able to ask specific questions.
AIG Teachers email pictures sometimes
too!
nology article for
the URL address.
Join Edmodo, the secure online educational networking sight we use in the
AIG programs.
Lastly, please visit email each STRIDE day to
the center anytime! stay informed.
Of course you can
call. We are really
busy so please leave
a message and we
will get back to you
as soon as possible.
Look for “Today in STRIDE”
Check out the Website! See above techPage 2
S.T.R.I.D.E. News
What Will We Learn in S.T.R.I.D.E ?
The theme this year is STRUCTURES.
The year starts in communications
by looking at Adornment and moving into Architecture! Week by
week students become more and
more familiar with their surroundings and the design aspects incorporated into various structures. We
look forward to finishing up the year
with a communication study of
Creative Expression. Here we focus
on 4 creative people who are well
known for their unique contributions. We
will paint
like Van
Gogh, be
thespians
of Shakespeare's
work and
more!
In math,
Paint like Vincent Van Gogh we will
take a detailed tour
through the History of Math beginning with ancient numbers, various
cultures and their number systems
Mystery Powders.
and meet many mathematicians
We add a subject area this year, Ecolearning about their contributions.
nomics. We begin the year with an
The students will learn about the
investigative unit called Money;
structure of number
what it is, how it has
systems and contribuevolved over time and the
tions that have
A challenging and fun security of our current curchanged mathematics.
year learning about
rency. Economics is inteKnowing the architec- Structures in STRIDE grated into our math and
ture of buildings sets a
science. We will apply
good foundation for
what we learn about
another math unit called From the
money, business and construction
Ground Up. In this unit, we will inconcepts in our unit called Bridges
tegrate subjects such as math, comby working in companies, utilizing
munications and economics to build
the division of labor and constructa scale model home and figure the
ing a toothpick bridge. Those skills
cost for building it.
are extended as we finish the year
In science, we study Construction
Concepts which looks at structures
and the forces that act upon them.
Understanding these structures and
what makes them strong is important to know when designing a
bridge that must be tested by bearing weight in the economics unit
called Bridges. The students’ investigative skills in science are challenged
to determine the chemistry of 6
with a unit called Mini Society where
students work independently or together to create and sell a product.
Our units are very hands-on, team
building through cooperative learning and offer rigor and relevance to
students’ learning. We hope you can
come in and visit. You definitely do
not want to miss the Bridge Break
off!
More Success! Less Stress! Strategies to survive STRIDE
As a STRIDE student, it is important
to participate in and complete the
following strategies to assure more
success and less stress in STRIDE:
spect your school, respect others… we have known them for
years.
Read all directions.
Be Prepared! Making sure I have the
following every STRIDE day:
Listen to all instructions/discussions
from both teacher and students.
notebook, homework, pencil, and
lunch money.
No Side Comments: They are distracting, confuse people and
often rude.
Use “K” rules. You know, the rules
we learned in Kindergarten and
have stayed with us… don’t talk
when others are talking, raise
your hand, keep hands and feet
to yourself, respect yourself, reVolume 1, Issue 1
STRIDE is important to my education. Please understand that the
STRIDE day is not a day out of
school or a day that students can
miss. Your STRIDE day is an academic school day.
STRIDE is very different from what is
happening in the classroom. You
may hear your child say, “It is too
hard.” I tell them it just requires
more effort. From Kindergarten to
now, they have blown through
school with little effort required.
Students often tell me they do not
have to read the directions to know
how to complete a task or listen to
all the instructions but still know
what is going on in the lesson.
STRIDE requires more effort. We
move at a fast pace, require reflection on how an answer was acquired, as well as evidence to back
up that answer. It is not hard, it just
requires more effort.
Page 3
Students Learn a Dead Language
Learning to speak Latin, a dead
language, does not mean you’re
trying to speak to ghosts. Learning a dead language means that
the language is not spoken
much any more. Latin is taught
to A.I.G students during STRIDE,
the elementary academically
gifted program for 4th and 5th
graders and to middle school
students identified academically
gifted and participating in the
A.I.G. Middle School Curriculum
program. It seems that all academically gifted students have
an interest in learning Latin
since this is the first year it has
been taught. By the time the
4th graders in A.I.G have completed 2 years of STRIDE and 3
years of the Middle School curriculum, they will have had 5
years of Latin and be well prepared for Latin in high school
and ready to take their SAT tests
for college.
Did you know that a lot of English words come from Latin?
Actually Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and other languages that
are called the “Romance Languages” all derive from Latin.
Why did the A.I.G program decide to teach Latin? It actually
came from parents, says Suzanne Hachmeister, Lead AIG
Teacher for Pitt County Schools.
“The parents wanted the students to learn a new language,
so that’s where we got the idea
to teach Latin in STRIDE and
middle school AIG.”
Latin is not only appropriate but
a fun language to learn. Since
grammar is not a focus of our
Elementary language arts programs anymore, these students
are getting concentrated instruction on prefixes, root words and
Can You Volunteer?
Throughout the year, STRIDE has
events, activities and subjects where
parent volunteers make the learning
more meaningful!
Can you chaperone a county wide
STRIDE event?
Can you help in the classroom with the
many interactive tasks in which students participate?
Do you have a job, hobby or experience
that would make you a great guest
speaker? This makes the children’s
learning relevant.
Volunteering also allows you to share in
the unique experience that is STRIDE.
Page 4
suffixes. Learning Latin has also
helped students decode words
in their reading making them
stronger readers. Mrs. Hachmeister also says, “Latin is helpful especially when learning vocabulary or trying to determine
the meaning of an unknown
word.” Latin helps students
understand their own language
even better! Grace Herbert, former STRIDE student says,
“Learning Latin is fun because
we learn where a lot of words we
use now actually come from.”
Ashley King, STRIDE student
says, “It’s full of unique sayings
that we say today even though
it’s a dead language.” When
asked why Latin was called a
“dead language” Lauren
Boucher, AIG teacher and coordinator of the Latin units said,
“Latin is called a dead language
because it is not a language that
is spoken in everyday life now.
We still use it in religious ceremonies, medicine, law, and science; however, it is not used as
a means of primary communication anymore.” Even though
Latin is no longer a spoken language, you can hear students
speaking Latin and they may not
even know it. Phrases like “ad
nauseam” (repeatedly to the
point of boredom) are common
and might be said in this manner. “We went over EOG practice
ad nauseam.” “de facto” (as a
matter of fact) or “vice versa”
(the other way around) are also
said today. Even the word
“verses” like when two teams
are playing against each other is
a Latin word! And “Bona Fide”
(for real) is too! So, go ahead,
say, “Valeo, quid agis? (Hello,
how are you?) because as they
say in Latin ,”Carpe Diem!”
(Seize the day)
Newsletter Title
I Know My Kid is in AIG but How Did He Get There? What Now?
So your child was identified Academically Gifted and you are wondering, “how did that happen?”
Presently in Pitt County Schools, AIG
identification is based on standardized test scores. Third grade students are screened using a nationally-normed standardized aptitude
test called the TCS2 during the second semester. Students scoring at or
above the 86th percentile or above
on this test will be reviewed for differentiated services each
year and be placed on a
“Watch List”.
Students scoring at or
above the 93% qualify
for the STRIDE program. If a student’s TCS
and EOG scores average
a 93 or above, they too
then qualify for STRIDE.
1. STRIDE is a 5 ½ hour uninterrupted instructional day.
2. A STRIDE Class will be a blend of
4th and 5th graders.
3. A STRIDE Class will not exceed
more than 20 students per 1 AIG
teacher and 30 students per 2 AIG
teachers.
4. A STRIDE Classroom will not exceed more than 30 students regardless of number of AIG
teachers.
5. Students will not
be required to make
up regular classroom
assignments missed
during the
AIG identification, at this
time, is based on standardized
test scores.
STRIDE day.
The PCS AIG Document
outlines STRIDE service
on page 53 as follows:
6. Students will not
be required to complete regular classroom homework
that is assigned on the STRIDE day.
Elementary AIG Curriculum Guidelines (STRIDE): STRIDE is the Pitt
County Schools’ Elementary AIG
Curriculum and an acronym for
7. In the interest of fostering academic risk taking, STRIDE students’
performance will be evaluated, but
not graded.
“Striving Towards Responsible and
Intellectual Development in Education.”
8. STRIDE will begin the week of
Labor Day and end the week before
End of Grade Testing.
9. STRIDE will be held on either
Tuesday, Wednesday, and/or Thursday. (AIG Staff
Development will alternate on Monday and Friday each month.)
10. Any STRIDE day missed will be
made up, preferably the same week
if possible.
11. STRIDE make up days are built
into the schedule and will be done
the weeks of Thanksgiving and/or
the Martin Luther
Waiver of AIG Service
Once a student is identified AIG, that
identification remains, even if the
parents/guardians or student opt out
of the program. Parents/guardians
who wish to waive AIG services for
their AIG student should complete
the “AIG Waiver of Service” form.
This form should be filed in the student’s yellow identification folder. A
PCS AIG Exit Survey will be made
available to the parent/guardian and
student by the AIG Coordinator.
For additional information, please
see the PCS website
www.pitt.k12.nc.us. The AIG document is located at the Academically
and Intellectually Gifted link the
“Departments” section.
Performance Expectations
In addition to maintaining performance
in the regular classroom, AIG students
are expected to
team will meet to determine changes or
discontinuation of AIG service; determine what is best for the student.

Discontinuation of AIG Service
Be attentive and prepared in class,
attending AIG class regularly.

Finish AIG and classroom assignments

Take AIG goals and curriculum activities seriously.
Challenge is what our AIG students need
and what the AIG service provides but
also in an enriching way. Students often
say it is the best part of their day. If performance decreases in the classroom, a
Volume 1, Issue 1
Direct service in MATH and/or READING will be discontinued if:
• The score in identified area falls below
level 4 on EOG testing for 2
consecutive years.
o At the end of the first year, the AIG
teacher will meet with the parent and
the student to discuss strategies for improving performance.
• The score in identified area falls below
level 3 on EOG testing.
AIG Elementary or Middle School Curriculum service will be discontinued if:
• Student does not maintain yearly average of “B” in each of the 4 core curriculum subjects. (math, reading, science,
social studies) each = Yearly average of
each separate subject, not a combined
average of all 4 subjects total together.
• Student does not score a level 3 on
both the EOG reading and math tests.
This meeting should be documented.
Page 5
Pitt County
Schools
Pitt County PAGE
STRIDE Center
It’s not hard, it just
requires more effort!
Partners for the Advancement of Gift
ed Education
What: PAGE organization in support
of Gifted Education in Pitt County
Where: Typically meets at Eppes
Middle School Media Center other
locations TBA
When: General Meetings held the th
4 Tuesday of each month, 7:00 PM
Who: All parents, teachers, & community part
ners wanting to create a
unified voice to advocate for academic
ally gifted students in our schools.
Why: PAGE is a nonprofit voluntee
r run organization of parents, teachers and others interested in supporti
ng and encouraging the development
of gifted students by:
We are on the web

Promoting an understanding of the char
acteristics and needs of gifted students

Fostering appropriate educational oppo
rtunities for them at home, school and
in the larger community.
For more information about Pitt
County PAGE please visit
www.pcspage.weebly,com
Many voices joined together can make
a difference & improve educational oppor
tunities for
Academically Gifted children!
Homework and Grades
Often gifted students will say, “Is
this right? Do I get a grade on this?”
Although we are proud of the good
grades they earn, STRIDE is a safe
place to step out on a limb, take some
risks and move out of the comfort
zone with no repercussion of a “bad
grade” - I know, to some of them that
is a B. Grades are not given in STRIDE
but an end of the unit evaluation is
completed to inform parents of the
objectives that were covered and the
work ethics and effort put forward by
their student.
Homework is another really popular
question. If there is homework from
STRIDE, it is either something that
was not finished in class and will be
needed for the next weeks lesson or a
project that is assigned and you will
have a minimum of two weeks to complete it. Emails about projects as well
as hard copy guidelines will go home to
keep parents informed. Although a
grade is not given, it is important for
students to complete assigned projects and homework to get the most
benefit out of the STRIDE experience.
I often receive emails during the week
asking for further instruction on
STRIDE homework as parents need
assistance to assist their child. Please
ask!
Homework that is assigned in the
classroom on a STRIDE day that is
due to the classroom teacher the next
day, is NOT a requirement for
STRIDE students. They ARE required
to know the information and their
classroom teacher will help them stay
informed but that nights homework
they STRIDE students are NOT responsible for completing. If a contract
is assigned on
Monday, due Friday and there is a
Wednesday assignment, STRIDE
students ARE responsible for comKnow the PCS
pleting the
Wednesday home- policy on homework assigned on
work on the contract. Generally
test are not given on STRIDE days,
but if by chance one is, the classroom
teacher and STRIDE student will work
out a time to complete the test with
no penalty. Projects assigned ahead of
time and due on STRIDE days, the
STRIDE student is responsible for
turning the project in on time before
leaving for STRIDE. If issues arise
about homework with your student,
please contact me. This is a PCS policy,
not an AIG teacher request.